Nuclear war may kill millions. Nuclear Winter will kill billions.
International bestselling author, Bobby Akart, one of America's favorite storytellers, delivers up-all-night thrillers to readers in 245 countries and territories worldwide.
Every war begins with a first shot. The shot heard 'round the world at Lexington and Concord in 1775 birthed a nation. Less than a century later, cannons firing on Fort Sumter, South Carolina thrust that same nation into a civil war. The assassination of an obscure archduke sparked a chain of events leading to World War I. The dastardly bombing of Pearl Harbor led America into the Second World War.
Akart's new novel, Nuclear Winter First Strike, depicts a world on the edge of nuclear Armageddon. Will history repeat itself as warring nations take their battles to the highest level of destruction? Can America avoid being drawn into these conflicts beyond her borders?
Nuclear Armageddon hangs over us like a mighty sword and ordinary Americans will be caught in the crosshairs.
This is more than the story of nuclear conflict. It's about the devastating effects wrought by Nuclear Winter. Our possible future is seen through the eyes of the Albright family whose roots stretch back to the early settlement of the Florida Keys.
Hank Albright, a widower and proprietor of the Driftwood Key Inn, is the epitome of the laid-back islander inhabiting the Keys. His brother, Mike, is a homicide detective for the Monroe County Sheriff's department. Along with his wife Jessica, a paramedic and member of the Sheriff's department water emergency team, they become involved in the investigation of a sadistic serial killer.
Hank's son, Peter Albright, is a Washington, DC reporter covering the State Department. He's unknowingly thrust into the middle of the conflict in the Middle East. Upon his return home, he begins to unravel a conspiracy leading to an unexpected dynamic between the President, the Secretary of State, and North Korea.
As the drumbeats of war beat louder, Hank's oldest child, Lacey McDowell, begins to sense the warning signs. Along with her husband, Owen, and teenage son, Tucker, she begins to prepare for a hasty exit from their San Francisco Bay Area home.
Will America become embroiled in the nuclear conflict? Will the President cross the Rubicon, that point of no return after which lives and cities may be destroyed? For the Albrights, like their fellow Americans, their lives are about to change forever.
International bestselling author, Bobby Akart, one of America's favorite storytellers, delivers up-all-night thrillers to readers in 245 countries and territories worldwide. He's achieved Amazon Top 5 Author status in both fiction and non-fiction genres, Amazon Kindle All Star and Top 50 Amazon Author (#35) and Top 25 Best Selling Book on Amazon Charts (Yellowstone #25). "He's right up there with James Patterson, David Baldacci, Brad Thor and others that write thrillers. To me he actually surpasses them.” He has written more than 80 novels in the disaster, survival, medical and political thriller genres.
The prose is anodyne. The plot seems to have been written by Fox News. Foreign Policy had a (US) "decline-o-meter" some years ago. I give this book a 4/5 on US decline. Oh, and a story about nuclear winter does not need a transvestite sadist serial killer. That's just bad writing. I thought to give this book 2 stars, but writing this I've changed my mind to 1.
This is a very slow burn book IMHO. If this is not your thing you might not enjoy it as much (it gets better in book 2) I did like the pacing of the story and the characters are really interesting. The exposition dumps can get a bit preachy at times and dumping on anyone not in the right of the US political spectrum is a bother but it is consistent with the character development I suppose. I am on book 2 now and the story flows a bit better already!
Bobby Akart has an unerrying sense of what will happen in the real world. I'm not sure when he wrote Nuclear Winter First Strike, but as I'm reading it, Israel has just been attacked by the Iran/North Korea funded terror group, Hammas.
It's as if the author traveled forward in time and I just finished reading about the end results of this conflict. And it's not a pretty picture.
Imagine a cascading failure of diplomacy, sliding into one conflict between two countries, then four, exponentially growing into the scenario where the supposed Superpower countries are involved and manipulated into the First Strike.
This is a horrific scenario, it should come with a trigger warning and should NEVER be read before bed. But, as usual, it's a big, fat five star read. And I wholly recommend it.
This book is rich in detail and research. I enjoyed it for the most part. I'll be reading more of Bobby Akart's books. Action, political conspiracies and nuclear war facts- a very smooth and suspenseful whole. All the characters had different POVs and that made some chapters drag. Otherwise, I loved this book.
This series opener would have been scary three years ago when it was published. Now, with the convergence of world events seeming to spiral more out of control each day, it is chilling.
As the title implies, life as we know it, has stopped. Violently. Iran has launched nuclear weapons at Israel. Israel has launched against Iran. Pakistan has attacked India. Now North Korea with the most controversial war monger and outspoken leader of the 20th and 21st century has launched a nuclear strike against America. How will people survive? Those not killed in the initial attack will die a painful slow death from radiation poisoning. Weather patterns drastically change. Starvation. Life as we know it ceases to exist. World leaders have evacuated to their safe bunkers. The average person? Hides in his house or under their bed? Unfortunately this event could occur. A believable scenario. This is an excellent read. My highest recommendation.
This author tends to build his story methodically and deliberately and this is no different. Besides becoming acquainted with the characters, we have the opportunity to be educated about nuclear war and its effects along with the characters in the story. There are 3 groups of people all of whom tie together as part of a family. This was also interesting as to how events in distant places start out as only of mild interest here in the US and then rapidly become very serious. There was a very suspenseful build to cataclysmic events that made it hard to put the book down and my other work suffered. I very much look forward to the next in this series.
OMG! OMG! OMG~ Now you've really done it Bobby Akart. You've left me in the bowels of my REAL LIFE Alma Mater, Placer Union High School. Get me out of here please. How soon does that next book release? This 50's chick is soooooo into this riveting story. Excuse me now while I go put together my Faraday cage. JeanP.
This makes you think hard about how behind the scenes actions can impact regular people. The characters are like us, living normal lives. You realize that if you do not pay attention, you can get caught in the wrong place at the wrong time. I do not want to give anything away. I recommend reading the book and looking at the science. It is well worth the time. Looking forward to the next book.
Bobby Akart continues to scare me to death. Not because he writes scary stuff, but because he is right so often. Nuclear Winter tells the story of what could happen when ambiguous foreign policy decisions are mixed with stupid people. The story follows the Albright family as international events spiral out of control. As usual, Mr Akart’s research and attention to detail are impeccable.
Realizing this could happen at any time. Actually reading it happening. Know I g there is nothing you can do to prevent it. Knowing it all depends on nutcases.
This is my first time reading Akart and I enjoyed it. The first book in the Nuclear Winter series, First Strike focuses on introducing all of the characters, all of whom are related but are living in different parts of the U.S. It also sets up the political situation within the world that leads certain countries to wage nuclear war on one another. While the U.S. is not directly involved, the book explains the ramifications, specifically EMP and nuclear winter, that can result from nuclear conflict, even a limited war.
It is interesting to see how one group is able to somewhat prepare for when the SHTF because he is located out of the direct line of fire in the Florida Keys, has a private island on which he operates a small inn. Must be nice to have the bucks to load up on supplies, be isolated, and somewhat secure. Felt a bit contrived. One of the other family members owns an outdoor shop in California - again quite convenient to load up on survival supplies. But then we have Peter who lives in an apartment in DC and is caught with nothing just before the nukes fly.
It takes the whole book to introduce us to the characters, build the world tension, show us a president with an agenda before the nukes actually start to fly and we are left with a cliffhanger. All-in-all however, it is good preparation and leads to book two. It was interesting and entertaining enough for me to continue on with the series.
Alright. I think this series is going to be a good one. The characters are in place. Everyone has a plan. Do they have enough time to implement it? I won't find out! Cliffhanger!
Because, let’s be honest, after the year we’ve had, why wouldn’t nuclear holocaust try and get a look in? This novel, a bit heavy on the politics for my tastes, but likely a necessary evil, because that’s who’ll be responsible for any wars, describes the path of one family, Hank, who manages the family resort on the Florida Keys, his detective brother Mike, and assorted spouses/children/employees and bit players. Also a serial killer in there somewhere. I did find the story a bit disjointed, and the main event happens right in the last chapter. Will I get book 2 to see what happens? Likely, but that’s based on some trauma flashback at being forced to watch The Day After in highschool, when Enemy-Of-The-Day was rattling the sabres. Who’d have thought that the 80s were darker than the fashion and music would have lead us to believe? 3.5 stars, and let’s hope Goodreads and Amazon introduce a much demanded half star rating system.
The story took quite a while to connect the dots, and the ending was weak. It feels like the sequel was already written and they just picked a random place to stop the first book. Generally disappointing ending.
WOW To start your book with such a boring, long prologue, full of words most people have never heard of !!!! I didn't even make it through to be honest. Skipped to page 1 of the book, read two pages and VOILA !!!! HERE I AM. NOPE. NOPE. NOPE
Extremely boring. Nothing really happened until the last 10 % of the book and that was only mildly interesting. Boring middle class characters who you don't care about. The nuclear winter doesn't even happen in this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Mr. Akart's books have never once failed to reel me in to read entire series. This one is definitely no exception. Given real world affairs I glean a lot of knowledge not just about history but also about survival.
Once I finish reading the story then I will be able to complete my review and my rating. Since the story is drastically incomplete then so is my rating.
Carl Sagan first posited Nuclear Winter as a consequence of an exchange of nuclear weapons on the Earth.
The massive dust cloud was composed of the dirt, debris and what remained of millions of human bodies after their temperatures were raised by a million degrees in a millionth of a second. Tons of radiated particles drifted into the jet streams pushing them around the world in just a few days time. The Sun's healing energies were blocked from reaching the surface of the planet, the temperatures cooled and vegetation couldn't receive the nourishment needed. Plant and animal life disappeared from the frozen surface and another mass extinction cleared the planet of the pest called Mankind.
Hank Albright's family had owned and operated the Driftwood Key Inn on Driftwood Key south of Florida for nearly a hundred years. He and his family had been born and raised in the Albright family home there. Hank and his staff prepared for another busy week of visitors and guests. They weren't aware of the current crisis in the Middle East between Iran and Israel. With the aid of Russia and North Korea, Iran had advanced its nuclear weapons program to the equal of Israel's and was looking for provocation. Someone killed all their nuclear scientists and Iran launched against Tel Aviv and Haifa. The Israeli counter attack leveled Tehran. With all the turmoil around the Middle East, Pakistan and India rattled their shares at each other then proceeded to empty their silos of their nuclear stockpiles. Billions of Pakistani and Indian lives were lost in the conflagration. The little North Korean fat man couldn't hold his water and started punching buttons launching ICBMs at US targets. And there you have it. The end of the world as we know it. And the story has just begun.
I don't beIieve Akart has ever written a bad story. When I finish this series I will have read all of A art's books this year. I have really enjoyed most of them. Smart is an excellent story teller and he obviously does a lot of research that goes onto his stories. As I finish the first book in this series here's my other thoughts........ Although I truly enjoy his books there are 2 things I don't care for or understand....... First is the amount of profanity he must think improves his stories....it doesn't!!! Especially from the women characters....most of them use lots of profanity. I'm not used to that although I know some women with potty mouths....... Ladies don't speak this way..... and in this book there is a woman that is US Secretary of Agriculture......and a teenager who has a potty mouth that his parents say nothing about....... Second thing is most of his characters in all his books appear to be alcoholics.... Everybody drinks! No I'm not a prude, Just a conservative gentleman that would like to see a lot less drinking and cursing.......the stories don't need that.....they are great, well written stories without these things.
In true Bobby Akart fashion, he is coming out of the gate of 2021 with a blockbuster of a story that is a nightmare inducing story! Bobby’s uncanny ability to take a topic of “what could happen” and write an epic story about it is short of preternatural! In this story we will follow the Albright family and how they prepare and handle the nuclear winter that we know is about to befall the world. This is an everyday family with normal lives as you and I as so many of Bobby’s characters are which I love. This gives so much realism to the stories and makes them feel like friends from the start. As the world watches as two countries try to annihilate each other after two previous countries had had a nuclear bomb fest, the POTUS watches with anticipation as he has his own agenda. The fallout of nuclear bombs exploding will impact the Earth in ways people can not imagine and can only look on with horror struck faces as the shtf! Come along on this epic journey that Bobby has written and together we may all survive if/when the inevitable happens! Thank you Bobby for the nightmares once again!
Whew. Another Bobby Akart epic thriller. When you decide to read this apocalyptic thriller, you had better have time set aside because your not putting it down.
As Bobby leads you into the heart of the story, you have had the great relaxing pleasures the Florida Keys have to offer. You can actually see your toes in the sand with an umbrella drink in your hand while chiiling at the Atlantic oceans shore. The majority of the venues Bobby has described have many memories from my days past in the Florida Keys.
THEN.....YEET!!!
Although the events described in this epic adventure are "Fictional" if you have read Bobby Akart's numerous collections, it's not difficult to see the future. Today's political atmosphere and its actors doesn't give us great comfort.
By the time you reach the ending of this adventure, your sweating, your head is pounding, your heart is skipping beats and you have your foot to the floor of your gas peddle.
I don't know how you do it Bobby, but keep them coming.
Enjoying the story, as is always the case with Akart, but this was just far too short. Like a TV show, cutting away just as the plot develops, I'm getting to the point where I don't want to start the series until all the books are out, and preferably in complete series pack. This book was so short I finished it before I was even done at work the day I started it.
That aside, it is shaping up to be another great disaster story. This one reminiscent of the movie The Day After. Things have reached a predictable boiling point in the Middle East, between Iran and Israel. With nuclear tensions high, India and Pakistan fail to deescalate. As bad as that would be, it was still on the other side of the globe... until it wasn't.
This is short, so I don't know why it had to be cut right at the climax of the story. The bombs fell, the end. I feel a little ripped off. It's clearly a business decision to cut it there. It's not just a cliffhanger, it's just the beginning of a story. And there were unnecessary things going on that leads up to everything. Like, why does there have to be this substory of a serial killer? It could have been fine to just have the one brother as a cop and do cop things. The murder aspects just act like filler and don't make any of it any deeper. The narrator was good. I think I recognize him from another audible book. I'm tempted to get the next one, but I don't know if I really want to waste an entire credit on it.
A top of his field apocalypse writer really hit the bullseye.
Spoiler free review:
I’ve read 4 of Mr Akarts series in the last week. I should mention I read a lot of the genre (by genre, I mean disaster, not war specific, and when I say a lot, I mean a LOT) and was surprised (pleasantly) that I had not read one of his books, let alone series.
Already, I can tell this will be one of the better, if not best of his series. He researches obsessively, and it always shows. This time, it feels, I’m not sure how to phrase it… like prophesy or premonition. It feels, not just real, accurate and/or well reached… it feels… Likely.
Well done, Mr Akart. I hope you’re wrong. The read is excellent, I just hope you end up being wrong, however likely you make it feel.